Year of the Spark: July 3, 4
by Sparky Army
Summary: “You look like Teyla,” Ronon commented. “Which means he thinks you look hot.”
1. Chapter 1

_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers That Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you and anyone might happen to read these works, agree. _

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some --and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

**AN (sparkly): **So this is a two chapter story I thought would be fun to write. Didn't quite get it how I wanted it to be, but I suppose it's Ok. I thought of it while trying to go to sleep and staring at, who would guess it, curtains! Enjoy!

**Curtains**

**By: sparklyshimmer2010**

Curse the fact that she had to be the diplomat and therefore would have to talk with alien planets' leaders. Curse the fact that the Trelosians had this custom. And curse the fact that Teyla had not come so she was alone in this outfit with two childish men out there and one who would probably find it just as amusing and give her a smirk that she'd feel the need to wipe off his face.

Elizabeth had accompanied John's team – minus Teyla because she has been needed on the mainland with the Athosians – to Trelos to negotiate an alliance with the local people. They had a drug that, while it did not cure injuries or illnesses, seemed to quicken the healing process considerably. And unlike tretronin, you did not have to become dependent on it. In exchange for some of this drug, they would show the Trelosians how to increase crop yield.

They were a friendly people, living in a number of different villages. They reminded John's team of Lucius' people. And they had been interested and eager to strike friendship with the Atlanteans. The deal had been sealed shortly after their arrival and Elizabeth had wondered at the need for her to come as John had insisted upon.

Surely they could have secured the alliance without her? Then again, Teyla had always been the diplomatic one of the four, so maybe it had been a good idea.

So now, in honor of their new friendship, there was going to be a feast – held at the Middle Village, where people from many of the towns, their leaders included, would come.

And that's why she stood in their rather intricate old style town hall. There was a hallway off of the original entrance area that led in two different directions. Instead of rooms, the building had heavy curtains that separated different areas of the space. Behind one such curtain, she was currently staring in horror at her reflection in a body length mirror.

The main leader of the many towns, who lived in the town closest to the Stargate for exactly this reason, had insisted she wear a ceremonial outfit as all the leaders did. They could find one that fit her easily enough.

She had hesitantly agreed, knowing she should do so to respect their tradition, yet afraid of what this ceremonial outfit would be. She kept thinking of one of the first mission reports she had read. Colonel Carter, then a Captain, had had to change into a dress to be acceptable in that society. Jack had written a rather interesting description in his report, calling the dress "Very Sam".

Obviously on alien planets you had to be wary of their customs. But the three men had encouraged her, interested themselves to see how ridiculous she would end up being. Well now she knew. It was no more "her" than that blue dress had been Colonel Carter. And she was _not _stepping out from behind the elaborately embroidered red velvet curtain.

She had expected something colorful, maybe exotic, maybe something horribly patterned. She had even expected something with way too much fabric. Never had she actually let herself think that she would be wearing something with too _little _fabric.

Curse the fact that she was a modest person. Curse the fact that Teyla wasn't here.

Elizabeth would have tried to get her on one of these damned outfits. Although that might not have worked. Teyla would have been completely comfortable, and not because she was showing off her body.

Curse the fact that she knew she looked good. And worst of all, curse the fact that she liked her military commander waiting out there for her to get dressed.

She didn't look ridiculous at all. Clad in a skirt that was much too short at the front and had straps crisscrossing up her torso up to connect to the rather small top, the men would be left with little to their imagination. And she would be left with even less dignity, of that she was sure.

"Elizabeth? Are you done yet? I'd kinda like to get to the food someday. I am _starving_."

She cringed as the annoyed voice of Rodney came floating to her ears.

"Yeah Elizabeth, I know you can't be taking that long to get changed." That was John.

She remained silent and unmoved.

"We know you're finished. It can't be that bad," Rodney continued.

"Ronon will come drag you out," John threatened. From the other side of the curtain Ronon raised his eyebrows at him. "I'll order him to," he said, giving Ronon a steady look who just shrugged after a few seconds.

Elizabeth seethed, but seeing no way out of this hissed, "Fine. But not _one word_. And no laughing."

"We won't laugh," John said. "Right guys?"

After Rodney and Ronon quickly gave her their assurances, she finally pushed aside the curtain and faced them, trying not to blush.

Well they weren't laughing. Instead, Rodney's mouth hung wide open and standing next to him, she saw Ronon's eyebrows shoot up again before he grinned. Yep, there was that look she knew would make her unhappy.

For his part John merely rolled his eyes up and down her body once before meeting her eyes with a straight face.

But did she see some desire in those green spheres? Damn this was not good. And then he spoke.

"_Much _better than what I had imagined."

She glared. "You promised you wouldn't say anything."

"Actually we promised we wouldn't laugh. We never said anything about not teasing you," Rodney answered smugly.

Elizabeth turned her scowl on him and he shrank back immediately.

"You look like Teyla," Ronon commented.

Rodney ventured out again. "Which means he thinks you look hot."

Her face went from pink to very red. "I hate you all. Next time Teyla takes me to an off world market, you three are coming."

They all looked at her in dread for a moment before apparently decided it was worth it.

"Aww come on, Elizabeth, it's not that bad. Wouldn't you rather we tell everyone you looked stunning instead of ridiculous?"

She looked doubtful. "In _this _outfit?"

His eyes gained a mischievous twinkle and before he could think of the consequences, he said, "Well I've seen more."

Rodney and Ronon both gave him an odd look but John merely winked in their direction with a smug smile. The smile fell into a nervous look when he turned back to Elizabeth.

Her eyes were narrowed dangerously and boy did she look pissed. When she spoke her voice was deadly quiet. "Can I have a word, Colonel?"

Of course she wasn't actually asking so Ronon and Rodney hastily made their way out of there, muttering to each other as they went to find the food table.

Seeing a few of the women that that had given her the outfit walk by and regard them curiously, Elizabeth grabbed a tight hold of his shirt sleeve and pulled him behind a curtain.

"What the hell was that!?"

He looked appropriately ashamed now. "Look, I'm sorry, I just –"

"Do you have any idea what you probably just put in their heads?"

"Well yes, but you and I both know that's not how it is." Was it his fault that he had walked in on her when she was wearing neither a shirt nor pants and he wanted to make a joke out of it? Ok so yes, walking in on her had been his fault, but this was just harmless joking front of their friends.

"Yes we do, but do _they_?" Her voice was rising. "You can't just go around and say something like that!"

Ok probably not…

"We have boundaries for professionalism and that crossed the line." Her eyes flashed angrily and it only added to John's attraction.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but John, being John and not liking being told off, felt the need to shut her up.

And suddenly he was caught up in how close they were. So he did the one effective thing (the only thing) that flashed through his mind.

He grabbed her arms and pulled her to him, landing his lips firmly on hers.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Sorry if this chapter is a bit short, it wasn't working so well, but here it is.

--

Elizabeth was startled at the abrupt pressure but something inside her wanted to respond to the kiss. Before her mind could catch up with her actions, her arms slid to John's shoulders and she was kissing him back. She felt his surprise and he paused for a second. Her brain took that second to form rational thought and she angrily pushed him away from her.

He took a few steps back and looked at her guiltily. But he got two things he had wanted. One, to kiss her, and two, to shut her up. Right now she seemed unable to form any words. She merely glared at him in shock and fury.

"Um, sorry?" he tried timidly.

Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly, trying to gather any eloquent words, ready to tell him off. She couldn't find them. Finally she asked, "Sorry for what, kissing me?"

John screwed up his face uncomfortably. "Well yes and no."

"Yes and no?" she repeated.

"Well yes, because I know it was totally inappropriate – "

"Damn right it was inappropriate! Why would you kiss me in the middle of that? John, you – you can't just kiss someone based on no fee –"

"It wasn't based on nothing," he quickly cut her off, piercing her with a stare right into her blazing eyes.

"What?" she asked, taken aback.

"If you're upset that I kissed you when I didn't like you as more than a friend, than you don't have to be," he said bluntly.

She blinked at him. "I'm sorry?"

He looked even more uncomfortable now that his admission had been made. "I like you. As more than a friend. I don't know, I just had the urge to kiss you. So I'm sorry it upset you, but no, I'm not sorry about the actual kiss."

Elizabeth blew out a breath, anger dissipating. "I like you too," she said quietly.

He smiled at her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She paused before saying, "I'm sorry I got so mad. I guess if you were going to joke around like that, I wanted it to actually be based on something true. It hit a nerve."

He nodded. "Sorry. I think I'd like it to be based on something true too."

She smiled at him and his arm reached forward to push a lock of her dark hair behind her ear, eyes soft. But suddenly she looked at him sharply. He looked at her questioningly.

"If there's going to be an 'us', then we need to be careful about what either of us says in front of people. We have to stay professional."

He gave her a flyboy grin. "Right. Professional. Only tease you when it's just us. Got it."

"Good." And with that she grabbed him and pulled him forward, desperately wanting another kiss.

Meanwhile…

"Please, how long could it possibly take for them to talk? That guy is getting on my nerves because he keeps asking for her." Rodney complained.

"Just saying, maybe we should wait for them to come out themselves," Ronon said. He had a feeling that there was more to what the two leaders had going on and thought they may be in the middle of a personal conversation. But stopping Rodney was not something easily done.

Rodney ignored him as the two made their way down the hallway to where they had left John and Elizabeth. When they got there they didn't immediately see them.

"Well where are they?" Rodney snapped.

"Behind the curtain," Ronon stated obviously, holding back an insult. When Rodney moved forward to the same red curtain, Ronon grabbed him from behind and pulled him back. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to get Elizabeth."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea. Sheppard or Weir might not appreciate that."

Rodney rolled his eyes. "I'm sure Sheppard will not care too much if I interrupt his telling off."

He marched over to the curtain and ripped it back. There were two alarmed yelps as John and Elizabeth broke apart. Elizabeth jumped to the side and one foot slipped on the lengthy material. One hand stretched out to hold onto John and the other a piece of the curtain. Failing to regain balance, she brought the both of them down, along with the heavy curtain, landing harshly on the jaded stone floor.

Rodney stared in shock, more surprised than when Elizabeth had come out in her outfit. Ronon serenely looked on, highly amused. Apparently John and Elizabeth had not heard the two of them, though how it was possible to ignore Rodney's grating voice was beyond Ronon.

John and Elizabeth made their way from under the curtain, faces very red.

"You two – You were just –" Rodney stammered. "Huh. Shoulda seen that coming I suppose."

"I hate you Rodney," John stated. "You have the _worst _timing, you know that?" he looked ready to smack Rodney on the back of the head. Not that he hadn't done that a couple of times already that day.

Elizabeth shot him a look, but smiled as Rodney quickly made his escape. Ronon laughed, thinking that maybe it _had _been a good idea after all.


End file.
